Syringe



April 30, v lB. GRusKlN 2,198,666

' SYRINGE y .Filed sept. :5o. 1956 mensa Apr. so, mo

lenjamm Grunn,

.PATENT iolii-ica by mesne assignments, to Lakeland Foundation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation o! Illinois Application espumas; sof 193s, serial No. rossav mm.. (ci. ias-215) This invention lrelates to a devicecommonly y known in the medical arts by the term hypodermic syringe.

It is an object of this syringe for medical use `adjustable with respect which is so constructed distance of the insertion invention to providev ax which may be accurately to the body surface and and arranged that the of the needle may be carefully controlled.

Another object of this invention is to provide a syringe having a resilient body contacting'portion providing a pressure against which the needle must be inserted, thereby permitting a `tension against which the needle must be projected. e

A further object of this invention is to provide a syringe which is particularly adapted for medical use in intradermal injection.

An additional object of this invention is yto provide a syringe which will accurately and expeditiously permit the injection of extremely small doses, at the same time effectively preventing the absorption by the syringe of air or other foreign `matter by so constructing the device as to prohibit any unauthorized movement of the plungen It is furthermore an object of this invention to provide a syringe. the plunger portion of which may be held in any -adjusted position during loading or injection and which, moreover, will always be closed against aslight tension in order to permit uniform injection ofa dose.

.v v Numerous other objects and advantages will `lie apparent from, a consideration of the following specification and drawing which disclose a I few embodiments constructed in accordance with `the principles of. the present invention and in which, e, l l l L Fl'g. 1 is a side elevation of a syringe made ac- I cording to the present invention;`

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the syringe shown l i .,Fig. 3, is a detailed fragmentary end elevation" disclosing the method of inserting the needle in a portion of the body;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional taken on the line 4-4 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional elevation elevation i showing an alternative type of structure;

Fig. 6 is a detailed perspective view showing' l the end of the syringe tube; and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing an alternative type of` structure to that shown in Fig. 6.

Thesyringe, which comprises an embodiment disclosedfor illustrative purposes, is of. a conventional type comprising a tubular glass body `to be slipped over the plunger.`

- thuspositively and rigidly engage the end of the to the collar I0 having conventional numerals indicating 'the calibration of the volume thereof, and a solid glass plunger I2 which is ground carefully to fit the `bore of the tube. A conventional metallic head I4 is securedto one end ofthe glass tube 5 and carries an injecting needle I6 having a pointed end' and a minute opening extending longitudinallfthereof and communicating with the bore in the glass plunger l2.

There is provided a thin, metallic, yoke-shaped l0 piece I8 havingopposed parallel fingers 20 extending forwardly and parallel to the needle I6 to approximately the same distance. The yoke member I8 at its opposite end is narrowed to approximately the width of the glass tube and 15 is provided with opposed up-turned flanges 22, the centralportion of which may berslightly rounded to securely grasp the body of the tube and having slightly out-turned upper portions 24 to permit placing over the body of the tube.

The sheet metal structure is preferably of a resilient or`springy, thin sheet of metallic material and itwill be seenthat the anges 22 may bel forced overthe glass body of the syringe near the end thereof, as shown uin Figs. 1 and 2, and 25 will grasp the surfaces thereof to hold it in the position shown. e

The needle, it will be noted, is -positioned over the opening formed between the two lingers 20 of the yokevso that, when the lower side of the 3 fingers is placed against an areato be injected,

l force may be applied to -tilt the needle into contact with the body whereupon the yoke and the `:fingers 20 will flex to permit the needle to be reto an intermediate area., as shown 35 l of the cup-shaped member are threaded at their lower ends to accommodate a corresponding threaded collar 34 having a central bore suflicient The collar 34 is 45 provided with a slot and apertures 36 in which a special tool may be inserted in order to tighten or release the collar 34 yin the cup member 28 and plunger, as shown in Fig. 4.

. An outwardly extendingmember 38 is secured 34 by soldering or may. be made integrally therewithif desired and has therein a rectangular aperture 40 extending .parallel to the axis` ofthe plungerin which is secured, by means the spring 68 will tend to cant the brake member of a set screw 42, a rectangular projecting bayonet finger 44. ff

The end of the glass tube away from the needle is providedwith a conventional iiange portion 46 which is engaged by an annular cup-shaped member 48 ,having an axiallyand aradially extending wall. l'I'he free end of the axially extending .wall is provided with threads 49 which engage corresponding threaded portions on an annular collar 50, theinner bore of 'which ts freely over the body of the tube I8.

The collar is provided :with oppositely disposed apertures 52 to permit its rotation into threaded engagement with the member 48 by means of a special tool fitting therein.-

Soldered, or otherwise secured, to the cup is a supporting block 54 having a vertical, relatively narrow slot 56 extending downwardly from the top edge to aline removed from the bottom thereof. Extending across this slot is a pivot pin 58 upon which is`mounted for slight arcuate movement a brake member 60 having a downwardly extending braking edge 62 and a rearwardly 'extending portion 64 on which is mounted a control button 66. A spring 68, positioned in the slot 56, is secured at its lower end to a projection in the side walls of the slot (not shown) and presses upwardly against the lower portion of the control arm 64. i second pin 10, iixedly positioned in the slot, serves as a stop to limit the movement of the braking member in a clockwise direction around the pivot 58.

The bayonet member, secured to the head` of the plunger, is so situated as to pass through the groove 56 in the brake supporting block and iits slidingly therein beneath the brake member 60, as shown in Fig. 4. The normalv pressure of upwardly from the position shown in Fig. 4, to that shown in Fig. 1, whereby theforward edge of the braking edge 62 will press downwardly against the bayonet member 44 and engage it clampingly against the bottom of the groove 56.

Thus, it will be possible to push the bayonet member 44 to the left, as shown in Figs. `1, 2 and 4, but if effort is made to retract it in a reverse direction, the brake member will be canted against the upper surface thereof and engage it with increasing force so that such movement will be effectively resisted. If force is applied to the button 66, however, as shown in Fig. 4, the braking edge 62 will be lifted away from the upper surface of the bayonet member thereby to` free it.

This type of braking member is hereinafter referred to in the speciiicationand claims as a` strutting type of interlocking device. As is well recognized by those skilled in the art, this type of interlocking means in general comprises anarm or other member pivoted or otherwise adapted to incline to bring a-bitng tooth or edge into engagement with a cooperable lbraking member. Thus attention is particularly directed to the fact that the forward extremity of the edge 52 pro--l g vides a biting tooth which, when the arm 60 is inclined, is brought into `biting engagement with the bar 44. The biting tooth edge engages the bar in such a manner that if it is attempted to move the bar outwardly the tooth engages with increased force effectively and positively preventing this movement. On the other hand, the bar is freely movable in an inward direction.

A spring 121s situated between the ange of the tube and the Iinner surface of the collar 34 and encircles the plunger for' the purpose of normally urging the plunger outwardly of the syringe and in theY conventional in a direction opposite to that upon which the action of the braking member is exerted.

the syringe is first supplied with of material to be injected manner' by inserting the plunger to its fullest extent and then causing the dose of injectable materialfto be,taken up into the body of the glass tube I6.

'In the instant device the plunger will be maintained in its adjusted position by the brake mechanism contacting the bayonet finger 44 which will prevent motion tothe right as in Figs. 1 and 2.

In operation, the required quantity However, the compression spring 12 will naturally create a force urging the plunger in the said direction. Therefore, by merely pressing downwardly the control button 66, the brake will be released and the spring will move the plunger out of the body of the syringe.

The brake may be released entirely or for as long or short a period `as desired in order to permit retraction of the plunger to the' desired degree v and, after this condition has been reached, there will `be assured that the combined compression of the spring 12 and the actionv ofthe brake will maintain the syringe, in such position and prevent inadvertent ingress of air bubbles or other. un-

- desired matter.

' Then, by the action of Vthumb pressure `upon the thumb portion 30 formed at the head of the plunger in the usual manner, the injectionmay be made. It will be'noted that the spring 12 will provide a slight tension against the lthumb pressure which is preferable in such work as it enables injection of a fluid vuniformly and evenly, ven though it is desired to carry out the operation slowly. Moreover, there will be no tendency to inject at too rapid a rate or with varying or jerky pressures.

In addition, it will be noted that the injection may be stopped at any desired point, either temporarily or finally and the spring and brake will always maintain the plunger in its final position against any inadvertent or unauthorized movement. After withdrawing, or at any other time, it is merely necessary to release the brake by pressing the button 66 ,to permit the plunger to be withdrawn to any desired degree.

Referring to Figs. 5'and 6 there'is disclosed a modied construction comprising a member 18 which is secured to the head of the syringe tube lmember, 28 in the other embodiment. Herein a plug 82 is threaded into the end of the annular cup-shaped member 84 with the aid of a slot 84 for the insertion of a screwdriver and `thus serves to completely engage the end of the plunger.A

Secured to the member 88/is an upstanding, radially disposed arm 86 which, at its upper lefthand end as viewed in Fig. 5, is provided with a forwardly extending nger 88 which terminates in a lug or downwardly projected portion 8l which is so situated as to project belowthe outer cylindrical surface of the collar 18. lThis collar is provided with a series of grooves designed to permit passage of the lug 86 therepast.

The groove 92 extends completely through the collar andit would be possible, Ly passing the lug 90 through this groove, to permit vuse of the syringe through the full movement of the plunger, since, when the latter is so turned` as to be directed through groove 92, there is no impediment -to its passage. However, the groove 92 is widened at its righthand end. as shown in Fig. 5, and connects at its central portion with the groove 94 which runs in an annular direction for a short distance and then terminates in the longitudinally extending groove 96 directed toward the needle end of the syringe.

Thus, if the grooves and the finger are properly might be employed for proportioned, the device the injection of small quantities of liquid. For instance, in a syringe, which it may be said holds 1 cc. for purposes ofil1ustration, and it is desired to inject .l cc., to do this the plunger would be relatively4 in the position shown in Fig. 5. Thus,

by accurate proportioning of the groove'and flnger and by positioning Vthe lugv 90 in the groove il, the plunger will be retracted to accommodate the exact volume desired, and itis merely necessary to press the plunger in the conventional manner so that the lug 90 will passlongitudinally out oi groove 96 and. take the dotted-line position shown in Fig. 5. f

Initially vthe plunger may be placed in this dotted-line position and may be filled with the desired quantitylof iluid by retracting through the groove 96 to the position shown in Fig. 6. It is preferred to employ the spring 'i2 in order to provide some tension against the application of pressure for the purpose of improving and facilitating the actual injection ofthe iiuid in the manner described above.

A still further modiiled form of collar I8 is shown in Fig. 7 wherein additional grooves 98 and I I are provided in stepwise formation. In using this form of construction, the operator is permitted to choose either of two injections, that is, by loading the syringe in the amount indicated by the position of the lug 9h in Fig. 7, a relatively small injection may be made, whereas by loading the syringe so that the lug is retracted through the groove 98 and against the shoulder formed by the groove 94, an increased quantity of fluid may be taken up by the syringe and thus an injection of increased size may be made.

It w111 be obvious that any number or vsuch steps may be provided for or that various other structures may be provided in order to control accurately the positioning of the plunger or the `volume of iluid which it is desired to take up and eject.

It is thought that the invention and numerous of its attendant advantages will be understood from` the foregoing description and it is obvious that numerous changes may be made in the form, construction and A parts without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention,

tendant advantages, the form herein described being a preferred embodiment for the purpose of illustrating the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letl ters Patent is as follows:

1. Ina syringe having an injection needle or the like, resilient lingers adjacent said needle and generally parallel thereto, and adapted rst to contact the surface to be injected and resiliently resist approach of the needle whereby said needle may be moved toward a position where it is interposed between said spring iingers by flexing said fingers during use.

2. An injection needle having means thereon resiliently .to resist approachof the needle to injecting position, said means comprising resilient spring lingers arranged in a plane at one side of the needle and extending generally parallel therewith to a point adjacent the end of the needie whereby said needle may be moved toward a position where it is interposed between said spring lingers by ilexing said iingers during use.

3. In an injecting device having Van injection needle or the like, a resilient member associated with said needle, said resilient means comprising a pair of spring iingers mounted on the syringe, said lingers being generally parallel and generally co-extensive with the needle, means to cause 4sald resilient member to contact a surface before application df a needle thereto, and means to insert a needle against the resilient exing of said resilient member whereby said needle may be moved toward a position where it is interposed between said spring fingers by iiexing` said fingers during use. i

4. A syringe having a body and plunger operative in the body to take `up and expel iiuid, re-

silient spring means operatively associated withthe plunger for urging said plunger outwardly loi the body, and interlocking means operatively connected to the plunger andthe body, said interlockingmeans being operative to position the plunger with respect to intermediate position, said interlocking means comprising an engageable finger and recess means adapted to selectively accommodate said finger, said recess means having a shoulder positively preventing outward movement of the plunger by said spring means and providing a free passage in the opposite direction whereby the plunger may be freely actuated to expel'the contents of the syringe against the spring tension only, and a second passage disposed axially.

of the syringe and being open ended in both axial directions for permitting movement of said plunger completely out of said body.

BENJAMIN' GRUSKIN.

the body in at least one 

